Dallas-area Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr at Fair Park

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Evans Caglage/Staff Photographer

More than 20,000 Muslims gathered Monday at Fair Park to mark the first day of Eid al-Fitr and the end of the Ramadan period of fasting. The faithful gathered at Centennial Hall, where the Islamic Association of North Texas hosted congregational prayers, then moved to the Automobile Building, where vendors sold food and children lined up to play games.

Wearing colorful clothes and sharing warm embraces, over 20,000 Muslims in the Dallas area came together Monday morning in Fair Park to celebrate the first day of Eid al-Fitr.

The Islamic Association of North Texas hosted congregational prayers at Centennial Hall in Fair Park, drawing Muslims from many ethnic communities to mark the culmination of Ramadan.

“It’s a mosaic of the Muslim culture, all in one, congregated in Dallas, Texas,” said Islamic Association of North Texas spokesman Khalid Y. Hamideh.

Hamideh estimated that anywhere from 20,000 to 25,000 people attended the prayers.

Muslims believe that Ramadan is the month in which God revealed the Quran to the prophet Muhammad. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk to practice consciousness of God.

Eid al-Fitr comes at the end of the fasting. After the prayers, participants moved to the Automobile Building, where vendors sold food and children lined up to play games and jump in two inflatable space walks.

Despite the sweltering heat, families gathered outside, taking pictures by the esplanade and meeting with friends. Many people wore brightly colored traditional clothes from around the world that shimmered in the sunlight.

“You’ve got Muslims from all over the world,” said Yasmin Khatri, who’s originally from England but lives in Dallas. “There’s not one race. It’s everybody.”

Although the association has no more organized events planned for Eid al-Fitr, Hamideh said Muslims will observe the holiday by visiting family and friends and eating special meals for three days. Some participants said they gave gifts and money to each other.

Yet despite the celebratory mood, Hamideh said the conflicts abroad, such as in Gaza, Syria and Iraq, darkened this year’s holiday.

“We’re celebrating with a heavy heart with everything that’s going on,” he said.

Some participants were recent transplants to Dallas. They said, however, that Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Fitr in much the same ways.

“The difference is you don’t have your immediate family with you,” said Javed Mohammed, who is originally from India and has lived in the U.S. for seven years. “You substitute them with your friends.”

Mohammed, who lives in Irving, said he planned to talk with his relatives in India later in the day. He attended the prayers with his wife and two young children. “It’s an exciting day for us,” he said.

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